


Money Makes The World Go 'Round

by WonderOrchid



Category: Bat - Fandom, Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Grayson (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 18:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11258565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderOrchid/pseuds/WonderOrchid
Summary: Bruce Wayne is the owner of Gotham City's most popular Night Club, The Night Crawler. When one of his performers and close friend friend, Barbara Gordon, disappears, he must rely on his alter ego of The Batman to discover what has happened while also deciding if he will allow his adopted son to get involved and also reveal his secret identity to those that are close to him.





	1. The Night Crawler

Chapter One: The Night Crawler

Bruce Wayne is a man who became an orphan after his mother and father were killed in an alley on Crime Street, he was left to all their wealth and their Butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce grew up a lonely child, which would make you think he would make sure his adoptive child wouldn’t experience the same childhood. Of course he had his reasons, and Richard “Dick” Grayson was given many freedoms, he was still left alone in Wayne Manor many times throughout his life.Dick always understood, though. Mr.Wayne is one of the wealthiest men in all of Gotham so he has many ‘things’ to tend to, especially having to look after his Night Club, The Night Crawler. He would let his associate and Manager of the Club, Selina Kyle, take care of everything for him, but he could never fully trust her completely for some odd reason.  
Plus, The Night Crawler was no ordinary Night Club. This club was no gentlemen’s club where half naked women would dance on poles and men would shove dollar bills down the girls’ underwear, not that there is anything wrong with that, everyone has to make money somehow and it is a respectable job position, but The Night Crawler was a Club of classic Vaudeville and Cabaret Acts. Bruce Wayne had put together the best acts in Gotham and an award winning band along with a beautiful bar, to create a gorgeous and popular night club where Bruce Wayne could be found performing sometimes.  
Unfortunately, our story does not start within the confines of the night club, but outside of the club after Barbara Gordon’s shift. The only bad thing about The Night Crawler is that the club was located in a super shitty part of Gotham. Gotham already is known for its crime and being shitty, so the words “Super Shitty” really shows the shittiness. Barbara stood outside the Nightclub that night, awaiting a taxi to arrive. Her hand was shaking in her pocket as she looked down the road, waiting for her taxi to arrive. Her friend, Dick, was locking up the front door to the club and saw her standing in the rain.  
“Hey Babs, do you want a ride home?” He offered.  
She shook her head and shouted back, “That’s alright!”  
He put they keys in his pocket and walked up beside her, “I know you don’t like asking favors from Bruce but we have no problem making sure you get home safe.”  
She sighed, “It’s unnecessary, I can get home on my own. I don’t need The Wayne’s to look after me.”  
“You know my dad is really close to your dad so naturally he’s going to be concerned about you.” He said.  
“My dad is going to be fine,” she said plainly, “Anyways, you should have Selina do your makeup if you’re going to MC again tomorrow. You looked like a clown.”  
He chuckled, “Don’t say that too loud, besides, I’m only bartending for the rest of the week so you won’t have to worry about that.”  
A loud honking came down the street and they both looked down to see the taxi approach them. “Well that’s my ride, see you tomorrow, Dick.” She said getting into the taxi. He waved at her as the taxi drove away and disappeared into the night. Bruce walked up behind Dick and looked down the road where Barbara went.  
“Her father’s apartment is in the opposite direction.” He stated.  
Dick shrugged, “Maybe she’s going to a friends house, see you at home?”  
Bruce shook his head, “No, break in on 12th Street at the mall.”  
Dick pat his shoulder and walked away “Sounds like you can handle that on your own. I’ll see you when you get back, call me if you need anything!”  
Bruce continued to stand on the sidewalk, looking down the road, wondering where Barbara could’ve gone.  
The taxi stopped in front of an old warehouse and Barbara got out. The wind was very cold at this time at night so Barbara gripped her sweater a little more than before. She walked up to the warehouse gates and the taxi quickly drove away, before she could knock on the gate, someone put a bag over her head and dragged her into a car.  
“Could I get a different bag please? This one smells like feet.” She requested.  
“Shut up!” a voice in the passenger seat shouted.  
The car suddenly stopped and the driver got out to open Barbara’s door and let her out. When he grabbed her arm she head butted him and began to run. She continued only to be grabbed and have a gentle voice ring in her ear, “There’s no need to be scared, kid.” The man holding her ripped off the bag, allowing her to see him, The Black Mask, “The bag was only to make sure any of your little friends couldn’t trace me here.”  
She stepped back and took a deep breath and cleared her throat, “You said that we could make a deal.” She looked around her to find that she was standing at the middle of a crossroads in the middle of nowhere. The road was dirt and there was no signs around them.  
“Yes, I have a deal” he said, “You need $30,000 to pay for your father’s heart surgery correct? Something you and your father cannot come up with by yourselves?”  
“Yes.” She responded.  
He chuckled, “Good… I can give you the money to pay for your father’s surgery if you can do something for me.”  
“And what would I have to do?” She asked.  
“Kill Bruce Wayne.” He put bluntly.  
Her eyes widened in complete shock, “What?!”  
He sighed, “It would be more reasonable to just let your father die considering I am a crime-lord but Bruce Wayne is a pain in the ass with a lot of money that I could happen to inherit if he ‘Passes Away’”  
“How would you do that?” She questioned.  
“Well, our families were very close and after both of our parents tragically passed away, we came to a deal that if either of us pass away, we would trust each other with our companies and our money. I have no buisness anymore, but the deal still stands. If he dies, I get his shit.” He answered.  
“I’m not killing Mr.Wayne.” She refused.  
You couldn’t really see his expressions behind his mask, an issue when it came to many super villains, but she could tell he was not pleased by that statement. He came closer to her, and attempted to grab her arm but she pulled away. “You don’t really have a choice anymore, Miss Gordon.” He said.  
“What do you-” Before she could finished, he raised a gun to her head, and the men behind her raised their guns, all pointing at her.  
“I have a gun to your head, if that isn’t enough convincing, I have three Snipers all pointing at different place in your apartment, ready to strike your father. You refuse, not only do you die, but so does your sick daddy. You accept? You go home, get your dad fixed and as long as you kill Wayne, my men and I will not bother you any longer, understand?” He threatened, his finger was tight on the trigger, ready to hit it as soon as she would refuse. She could not see his face, but through the mask she could see the determination and anger in his eyes.  
“Fine, I’ll do it.” She agreed, closing her eyes and embracing for impact.  
She heard him say, “Good” before she was hit over the head and knocked out. She woke up later in her father’s apartment, in her room with a small vial and note in her hand. Her head was throbbing, she opened the note which read, ‘Use this to kill the shark and no one will suspect a thing.” She began to tear up before turning over the note which read, ‘Under Bed.’  
She put the note and vial on her nightstand and bent over to look under her bed to find a little chest, she reached under and grabbed it and put it on her lap. She opened it to find it full of cash.  
She closed the chest and threw it on the ground and began to sob. She curled up on her bed and covered her face. She felt like an idiot, she had but one desire and that was to help her father without feeling like a burden on Mr.Wayne, but she has gone to make things worse. She didn’t know what to do and she knew she couldn’t do it on her own. She could fight, she could defend herself and she knew how to outsmart people. Which no one ever understood, she always had to be protected by someone when she only felt responsible for herself.  
“Barbara!” Her father shouted from across the hall.  
She stopped crying and took a deep breath and walked across the hall to her fathers room, she smiled when she opened the door, “Yes?”  
“Were you crying?” he asked, lying in bed. She shook her head and he looked at her, knowing her was lying.  
She sighed, “I just want you to be okay.”  
He smiled at her and took off his glasses and opened up his arms, “Come here.” She walked over to him and gave him a big hug, and wouldn’t let go, “There’s nothing to worry about dear, I’m going to be fine.”  
“But-” She sobbed.  
“Don’t argue with me” he inturuppted, “I’m your dad, I’ve seen a lot of shit so it’s about time my heart caught up with me. Whatever happens, I’ll be fine and I’ll always be right here with you. I love you.”  
“I love you too, Dad” She mumbled, holding her father’s hand and listening to his heart slowly beat.  
“You mind turning on the TV for me?” He asked her.  
She smiled and got up, “Of course.” She walked up to his TV set and turned it on. It was on the News like it usually was, since her father couldn’t be at work he still wanted to know what was going on. Currently a video of the mall was on the screen with the headline ‘Bat Saves The Day! (again.)’  
He began to laugh, “Oh, I hate to say this, but I miss working with that old Bat.”  
“No one has been using the Bat Signal since you’ve been out.” She told him.  
He chuckled, “Doesn’t look like that’s stopped him from doing his handy work. Just wish he were cleaner about it.”  
“I miss seeing the Bat Signal” she said, “as a kid it used to get me so excited.”  
“Well, hopefully I’ll be up and running again soon. Then I’ll be using that signal again.” He replied.  
“Speaking of…” she whispered.  
“What?” he said, grabbing and hugging a pillow.  
She turned to him and confessed, “I got the money for your surgery.”  
He furrowed his eyebrows, “Well, how did you do that?”  
“Mr.Wayne said he owes our family. So he said he would pay for it.” She lied.  
He began to refuse, “No… No, I can’t accept that.”  
“I tried to talk him out of it but he insisted. He’s gonna help us.” She said, kneeling at his bedside.  
He held onto her hand as a tear fell from his eye, “We need to thank him.”  
She smiled, clutching his hand tighter, “We can, after. For now get some rest. We will go to the hospital tomorrow and get things ready.”  
He smiled and kissed her hand and she got up and left his room. She left the TV on knowing he fell asleep easier with noise in the background. Closing the door behind her, her smile faded away as she walked back to her room and climbed into bed, lying flat and looking up to the ceiling, wondering what she could possibly do.


	2. Chapter Two: Willkommen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara's Father goes in for Surgery. Dick meets a cute red head. The Black Skull pays Barbara a visit.

Chapter Two: Willkommen  
A big part of Bruce’s club, well, if you ask Selina she will say it is HER club, all the acts, no matter how dirty or crude, are extremely polished. From an audience perspective every last thing is organized and scripted including small gestures the MC would do. Backstage, it is nothing like that. The backstage of The Night Crawler had only two dressing rooms which were both taken by Selina herself. It was always hot backstage and smelled as if someone died. As far as changing goes, in some number both the men and women were wearing such revealing costumes it never mattered to either who changed in front of who, in fact, everyone usually borrowed costume pieces from each other.  
Selina barged into the backstage screaming, “Where the FUCK is Barbara?”  
One of the boys, slipping on a black mesh shirt replied, “You don’t remember? She said she was coming in late. Her dad goes into surgery today.”  
She threw her arms in the air, “Well who’s going to cover for her- Great idea Selina! You’ll cover for her.”  
Another girl replied, “You’ll be Helga instead of Sally for this number?”  
Selina shouted back running to her dressing room, “She better be here before my part because there’s no way I’m going by the name ‘Helga’ tonight.”  
The same boy shouted at her before she closed the door, “Bruce isn’t here either!”  
She stuck her head out of the door, “Then get Dick!”  
Out in the front of the club, Dick sat behind the bar polishing glasses and humming along to the band. More and more people were coming into the club and sat at tables as waiters and waitresses came to their aid when a red-head boy sat at the bar.   
“If you’re waiting for someone you have to wait at the front, bar is for customers only.” Dick said non chalantly while putting glasses back on the shelf.   
“I’m actually here for a drink, what do you suggest?” He asked.  
He shrugged and turned around, “I’m not much of a drinker but I usually would like a margarita.” He looked up at the boy sitting in front of him. He had short curly red hair and freckles everywhere. His eyes were green and he had a smile that either made you want to punch him or kiss him.   
“I’ll just have a water.” He requested.  
Dick stopped staring at him and turned around to grab him a glass, “You know that water is free right?”  
“And I’m a poor college student, what’s your point?” He shot back, taking the glass of water from Dick.  
He smirked, “Well, if you’re not paying then you’re not a customer so, you shouldn’t be sitting here.”  
“I saw the way you were looking at me, you’re not gonna kick me out.” He flirted.  
Dick began to blush and turned around and began to put more glasses away, “Well what brings you to The Night Crawler?”  
He shrugged, “Bored, thought I’d have some fun and go out.”  
“By yourself?” Dick added.  
“Who says you can’t have fun on your own?” He said, sipping on his water, “I’m Wally by the way.”  
As Wally finished the glass, Dick took it from him, “Dick.”  
He chuckled, “Wow, your parents must have hated you.”  
“My parents are dead so I wouldn’t know.” Dick said bluntly.  
The smile on Wally’s face faded away and his skin somehow turned whiter than it already was. They sat in silence for a few seconds before he finally whispered, “Well fuck.”  
“Yeah” Dick mumbled, polishing a glass.  
“Look I’m really sorry, I didn’t know.” He pleaded.  
Dick gave him a slight smile and looked up, “It’s okay, you didn’t know. I know you weren’t trying to be malicious or anything.”  
He sighed, “Yeah… I’m- I’m sorry.”  
Dick slid him another glass of water, “It’s okay, here, on me.”  
He picked up the glass and began to drink, “So, uh, do you perform here?”  
“Occasionally” he answered, “Not tonight, my adoptive father, owner of the club, he usually performs these numbers.”  
Wally spit into his drink, “Your adoptive fath- Bruce Wayne?!”  
“Sad to see you don’t swallow…” Dick mumbled to himself.  
Wally slammed his fists on the bar, “Your adoptive father is Bruce Wayne?!”  
Dick nodded, “He’s a pretty theatrical guy once you get past his buisnessy stuff.”  
Before Wally could say anything, a half dressed dancer ran up to the bar, “Dick, you have to fill in for Bruce.”  
Dick groaned, “But I’m working the bar tonight.”  
“It’s just for the opening number, Selina said she called him and he’d be back before the number ends so you can get back to work. Please.” She pleaded.  
Dick put the glass away and threw his rag into a bucket and followed the dancer backstage just as Barbara ran into the club and up to the bar. “Where’s Dick?” She shouted.  
Wally pointed towards the backstage doors and she ran after and into the pit of Night Crawler Hell.   
She began to push past dancers and performers getting ready, some putting on costumes, some rehearsing lines from their comedy bits and a select few practicing their ventriloquism act. She found Selina in a back corner of the room doing Dick’s make up.  
Dick say her approach and greeted her, “Babs! Look! Selina is doing my make up this time!”  
“Yes I am, please stop moving.” Selina grumbled, trying to do his eyeliner.   
“Sorry Selina, I’m here.” Barbara apologized as she began to take off her shoes.  
Selina waved her off, “It’s fine dear! Go into my dressing room to change and we’ll talk in there.”  
Barbara nodded and ran to Selina’s dressing room. “Darling, have you seen Bruce?” asked Selina.  
“No, he didn’t come home last night.” Dick replied, trying not to move.  
She scoffed, “I wish he wouldn’t do that. I know you’re an adult but to leave you alone like that.”   
“I’m not alone, Alfred is always there” he corrected, “but I get it, to be honest, I know he can handle his own and I don’t know what he does but, I do worry about him sometimes.”  
“That’s only natural… there, you’re done. Get ready to go on while I go talk to Barbara.” She commanded as she got up and walked to her dressing room. Barbara was done dressing by the time Selina got in there. She began to do Barbara’s hair as soon as she got in, “How’s your father doing?”  
She held back her tears, “Good, I hope. I left right after they said he was put under.”  
“I wish you would have let me help pay.” Selina confessed.  
Barbara giggled, “Selina, I know you well enough by now. I know you don’t get some of your money from credible sources… for it to go straight to my father, you’d probably get arrested.”  
“How dare- well- you’re probably right.” Selina laughed, “It was nice of Mr.Wayne to lend you that money.”  
Her smile faded away, “Yes… it was.”  
Selina hugged her from behind, “It’s okay, your dad is going to be okay.”  
Back at the front of the club, a waitress stood with a couple menu’s and Wally overheard her say, “Table for Roman Sionis?”  
He turned his head and saw the man, accompanied by two other men, follow the waitress to a table. “Wow, half of the richest people of Gotham are here, wonder if they’ll pay off my college tuition.” Wally mumbled, staring at the back of Roman’s head.   
Selina came behind the bar and stood in front of Wally, “Can I get you something?”  
He turned to face her and gulped, “Just another water please.”  
She poured him a glass and handed it to him, “5 bucks.”  
He furrowed his eyebrows, “But-”  
“5.Bucks.” She insisted.  
He began to dig into his pocket and then handed her a five dollar bill which she stuffed into her back pocket. The lights began to dim in the crowd as the band bowed and walked off stage and the audience clapped, Wally turned towards the stage and sat patiently as the music of ‘Willkommen’ began to play. Dick walked out from the curtains wearing a black leather trenchcoat, his hair slicked back and he wore a dark shaded lipstick and eyeliner. Wally began to giggle to himself, but as the music played, Dick began to strip off his trenchcoat to reveal himself as shirtless and only wearing a pair of suspenders that wrapped around him like a harness. He wore tight black pants and dress shoes. He had faded scars all over his body that added to his character as he began to dance.   
“Leave! Your Troubles… Outside! So, life is disappointing?” Dick performed.  
Wally mumbled to himself, “Not right now.”  
“Forget it!” Dick shouted, “Here, life is beautiful! The girls… and boys are beautiful! Even the orchestra is beautiful!” He turned around as the band was revealed and began to play.   
The music swelled and grew and filled the whole room. Wally laughed and began to clap as he heard Selina yell behind him, “Bruce!” Selina moved out of the bar and walked towards Bruce who just entered the club, “We need to talk.” She led him to a table towards the front of the stage where Dick was now introducing the girls of the club.   
“What’s going on?” Bruce asked.  
“It’s Barbara.” Selina whispered.  
Bruce looked confused, “What about her?”  
Just then, Dick was introducing Barbara onto the stage, “Helga! Helga is the baby, I am like a father to her… and when she is bad… I spank her…” Barbara looked up at Dick with a glare and then Dick looked out at the audience and shrugged.   
“She said she got the money for her dad’s surgery from you.” Selina told him.  
Bruce looked even more confused, “I offered to but she refused, saying that she had to do this on her own.”  
“You don’t think she’s in any trouble now, is she?” Selina asked.  
Bruce asked for a drink from a waiter and then turned to Selina, “Well, she didn’t steal any money from me because I would know and I also wouldn’t care. I don’t know how she got that money but-”  
Selina interrupted him, “And she’s been acting weird… I don’t know Bruce, I can tell, something is up.”  
“What do you mean she’s been acting weird?” He asked.  
Dick shouted from the stage, “And now introducing the Cabaret boys! Victor! Bobby! Or is it… Bobby! And Victor!” Dick grabbed both men and pulled them closer, “You know there’s really only one way to tell the difference… I’ll show you later.” He bit his lip and smiled, grabbing the guys’ butts and pushing them away from him.   
“Obviously she was upset that her father is going into surgery but when I brought you up… she just seemed even more… disheartened.” Selina explained.  
The entire cast began to sing, “Willkommen, Bienvenue! Welcome!”  
Dick grabbed the crotches of Bobby and Victor and then pointed at Victor, “That’s Victor!”  
The cast continued to dance and sing as Bruce replied to Selina, “Do I need to talk to her?”  
She shook her head, “I don’t think that’s a good idea… I’ll try talking to her but, keep an eye on her. I’m concerned.”  
He held onto Selina’s hand and kissed it, “I’ll do all that I can.”  
She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek and stood up and went backstage. Bruce looked up at the stage watching Dick and Barbara perform the ending of the number, “Im Cabaret! Au Cabaret! To Cabaret!” Bruce clapped as the all bowed and walked off stage and the next act was introduced.   
Backstage, Dick was getting undressed as Barbara walked up to him and hit him with a shoe, “You little bitch! You know Bruce cut out all those lines about Helga!”  
He laughed, “Okay! I’m sorry, they’re just fun to say.”  
She grunted, “Bitch.” and walked away from him to get changed.   
Wally sat at the bar, watching the comedy act on stage as Dick walked back over to the bar to get to work. “Enjoying the show?” He asked.   
Wally replied, “Those suspender that were uh… hugging your crotch… nice touch.”  
Dick smirked, “Yeah usually Bruce and Selina are in that number… It’s kind of awkward to watch so I usually just hang around backstage when it happens.”  
“Well, I think you did wonderful.” Wally complemented. They looked at each other for a few seconds, smiling and enjoying each others company until Wally broke the silence, “Well I’ve got to go so… here’s my number” he began to write it down on a napkin and handed it to Dick, “If you’re every free from this job, let me know. Or… maybe I’ll come back… or… you know what- just call me.” Wally waved goodbye and stood up and left the club and Dick stared at him as he left. While Dick was watching Chucky from Rugrats leave, Roman got up and walked backstage.   
He went up to one of the dancers and asked, “Excuse me, Do you know where I can find Miss Barbara Gordon, we have news regarding her father.”  
The dancer pointed to Selina’s second dressing room, “She should be in there.”   
“Thank you.” Roman said as he began to walk to the room, he whispered to one of his guards, “Tell the other men to get ready to hold down the fort.”  
He opened the door and closed it behind him. Barbara looked up from the mirror and saw the man standing behind her. “Who are you?” She asked.  
He smiled and reached behind his back and pulled out the skull mask and put it on. “The organ donor.” He replied.  
She dropped her comb on the floor and turned to face him, “What do you want?”  
He sighed, “Well, Bruce Wayne isn’t dead yet. I can’t kill him here. Or now. Because then I will be found guilty. And you obviously haven’t fulfilled your part of the deal.”  
She began to shout, “Look, I can’t do it! I can’t kill Bruce Wayne.”  
He shrugged, “Then I guess I have no choice.” He grabbed a small communicator from his pocket and spoke into it, “Begin plan B”  
As he spoke, a single gunshot went off outside in the club, the sounds of screams and running about could be heard. “What did you do?!” She screamed.  
He began to explain, “Well, being a crime lord has it’s perks. One of those perks is knowing shit. I know the real identity of the Batman and I intend to use it to kill both him and Bruce Wayne… Boys get in here.” Three of his men entered the room with big bags and one of them began to block off the door.  
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Said Barbara.  
He groaned, “You fucking idiot… Bruce Wayne IS the Batman. So at this moment, Mr.Wayne is probably getting suited up as Batman so ‘Bruce Wayne’ will be nowhere to be found. So, I frame him for killing one of his performers, check! Kidnap another performer, who happens to be Jim Gordons daughter, in a Wayne Corp. Car… In progress! And then leave a note and some extra evidence that it was Bruce Wayne himself who is now on the run and is wanted throughout Gotham. Dead or not, I have his money and I have his company.”  
“How did you find all this out?” She asked.  
“I know a guy who killed another little guy with a crowbar to get some information… I got that information from him” he answered, “No time to waste, let’s go.” Black Skull’s goons began to set explosives on the wall and then grabbed Barbara as they went off. The wall exploded revealing a Wayne Corp. Car with another goon in the driver seat.  
“Let’s go!” He shouted. The men grabbed Barbara and ran in the back of the car and shut the doors and drove off. Police sirens and distant yells could be heard as they began to drive off and Barbara began to cry.   
“Shut up bitch!” One of the men yelled at her as she sat in his lap.   
He muffled her mouth and then she head butted him, causing him to pass out. Another man restrained her as Black Skull sat across from her with a gun in his hand. You could never tell the expressions of a man wearing a mask, but she could swear the mask was grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Wally DOES have powers in this one, Kid Flash exists but in this AU the Teen Titans haven't happened YET  
> -SPOILER but not a Spoiler: Yes Batman is going after them, that is next chapter, sorry  
> -Joker isn't dead in this universe but he isn't in this story either

**Author's Note:**

> -Wally does have his powers, just hasn't fit into the story yet  
> -Barbara hasn't taken on the persona of Batgirl or Oracle  
> -Jason was Robin but he's dead lmao sorry  
> -Tim isn't introduced to the story yet  
> -Damian hasn't been introduced yet


End file.
